Advice needed. Although I think we're getting on top of the poo eating (see previous topic) there are some other things which are causing a few problems. The pup is pretty good during the day about walking towards the door when she needs to go out. At night she would wee on newspaper by the back door.

She has now developed the habit of taking the newspaper to her bed (wet or dry) and ripping it apart. She then procedes to wee anywhere in the kitchen (not near her bed thankfully). Obviously this does raise the stress levels in the morning when we're trying to clean up; we need to try to resolve it.

She currently sleeping in special area (purposely made!) under the worksurface, which gives her 'space'. We've tried changing over to those 'trainer' mats (what a rip off!) with no joy. The last couple of nights we've tried cat litter in a tray but she just eats it. Would a crate help solve the problem. However, I find it difficult to believe we would shut the door at night - with 2 poos and loads of wee, surely she is too little to go through (11 weeks). I guess they need access to water 24 hours so haven't restricted this in anyway. Any advice gratefully received. We currently give her her last meal at 6 pm, we go to bed at 10 - 11 pm and get up between 5 & 6 am.

Sue

What I did was keep a kennel in my room with toys in it, and during the night when pup would wake up I would take him out. By the time he was 4 or 5 months he was sleeping through the night. If u have paper down do not remove all of it, a slightly damp one under dry has the smell which encourages pup to use it. If any pee lets say pup peed steped in it and walked away which travels the pee smell around, pup then will pee where they smell it.The area must be cleaned well and smell removed or she will pee where she smells it. During the day keep pup on lead and everywhere u go pup goes, when unable to watch pup kennel the pup. Do allow some free time off lead so she can play and interact. No she can not hold it all night yet. Good luck and hope this helps some.
ttfn :)

If you use paper at night, put a layer of plastic sheet under it to stop the urine soaking through and permanently 'marking' the floor, or you puppy will always feel the need to mark it..

Hi, my pup has been in a crate at night with the door shut since I got her home at 8 weeks old, I put her cage into my bedroom, so if she woke I would hear her and believe me you do, its just like having a baby in the house, my pup regularly woke me around 3am, so I lifted her out of the cage, and took her outside, and when she wee'd lots and lots of praise.o.k. you will be bleary eyed, but thats better than getting up to a mess in the morning, and when you do get up in the morning please remember to Lift the pup out of the cage and out into the garden, don't let her run out, she will sit and do a wee before you can get the door open, thats why I always carry mine outside when they are little, mine have hardly ever had a lead on, especially when as young as 8/11 weeks old, I just let them in and out of the garden, they do get plenty of excercise this way when so young, you really shoul'dt walk a puppy long distances until it gets a lot older, my pup is now 6 months old and sleeps on the bed, but her cage is still in the room and I leave the door open for her if she wants to go in at night she will. I would also try and give her evening meal around 5 pm and let her out just before you go to bed, go into the garden with her and close the door behind you so she cant run back in and again when she "goes" lots and lots of praise, if she does slip up in the house, just clean it up, never ever, give the pup into a row for making a mistake as she will end up not knowing where to "go" whether outside or in. Wash your carpet or lino with biological soap powder with some vinegar added this will act as a neutraliser and take away the scent of the urine, I would put the papers into the bin this just encourages the pup to still use the papers and you dont want that, she will soon let you know when she wants out, one of mine cries at the door, another comes and give you kisses, and the pup just follows the other two. The cage is also good if you are going out for a little while during the day, I give a kong with a little cheese pushed round the sides and she has to work this out herself and this keeps them amused and quiet till you come back, another tip is to leave a wireless on during the day if you are going out I always do this, and again when you come back in just lift the pup outside and wait till she has done what she needs to do, and plenty of praise. She will soon learn. As for poo eating , pinapple in the food soon stops this. Mine still love ripping newspapers up also magazines, so that is just a "doggy thing" LOL

hi sue.
her litter brother is in cage from 8weeks at nigth, he on 3 feeds day 1 at 7/8am 1/2pm the last one between 7/8pm full access to water in the day,we go to bed 10/11pm,in the cage is his blanket and toys,no water,we get up at 7am and he fine no poo or wee, when he goes in the cage he always as a bis,he very happy in there,i did say to you to get one,beacuse the puppies were use to having a playpen system around the whelping box and that looks and acts a indoor kennel.chase rips apart paper to when it was in the cage so now no more paper partlys,

the only good thing i can said with chase he as is mum,granmum,dad,uncle and gollie to show him what to do,so he copys them,
i will give you a call,tommrow,

No more PAPER PARTIES?????? Awwwwwwww :( :( :(
You took his fun away, yah meenie ;) ;) :P :P :D :D :D :)

put he as a great time with the shedded paper out in the kennel,playing snowpaper frigths,with gollie,

Posted on this before and suffice to say, my pup 81/2 weeks at the time, hated his crate with a vengence. He became very distressed and eventually attacking the crate with his teeth. He constantly wet his bed, but only in the crate, and howled for hours. He just HATED it. Let him out, he slept all night in his basket and never wet again. Your pup may take to a crate no problem, many do, but in MHO I would never again use one - never did with any pup before, but listened to my husband this time!!!!!!!!!!! You will get through it and your pup will housetrain, it just depends on whether you can put up with it all till then. Perhaps borrowing a crate to see how the pup gets on before you fork out £50,60,70 on a crate might work. My other thing about crates is they are big and unsightly! (depends on breed of course and size you have to buy). Maybe if your pup doesn't mind a crate you could use it for housetraining though I do believe, like babies, they suddenly sleep through and life becomes bearable again - mine would have been more bearable without a crate for 2 weeks!

Good luck

Personally, I found the crate wonderful. I had no worries leaving the two dogs in the same room at night or if we went out. Also, our pup loved chewing skirting boards and chair legs and we wouldn't have had a kitchen left if we didn't have a crate :) :) She wasn't too keen on it at first, but, got used to it and would eventually go into it of her own accord. At 7 months we have put it away, she has stopped chewing and we only use it in the car. I would recommend it to new puppy owners.

Daisy

MY pup was the same with the crate ...HATED it with avengeance and we had to give up after several weeks of sleepless nights :( I will be trying a crate again though , when I get my next pup ..so many people have had good results with them that I figure I was just unlucky with Thuggy Boy :)

Melody

Thanks for all your replies.

I spoke her breeder (Briedog) this morning and am still trying to resist the crate. Mind you, it's working with her - Rustie's brother, Chase, has been dry & clean at night for well over a week now. We'll keep at it. I'm sure she'll be better when she starts going out - her last jabs are on Saturday so not much longer.

Sue

all my dog have been brought up in a indoor kennel with no problam,they are safe in it,and happy to,rustie and her sibling were bougth up in the whelping box with a playpen around it,which looks like a indoor kennel,again no problam,chase took to his like duck to water when the other left,the other puppies are happy in their cages,
it up to the new owner what way to bring up the puppy,i only adviesd what i have done over the years with my dogs and what has workred for me and them,
we all rise our dog differely like childern that's why no two dog or humans are the same,yet,sorry there;s is one human born the other day the same,????
if it works for you and that you are happy with it and as long as you donot get upset when it dose not work,you can only try thinks out,

A big thank you to all for the advice re the crate and toilet training. Just to let you know .... we got the crate on Saturday. She took to it brilliantly and we have had two poo/wee free mornings. Its amazing how much better I feel. I did resist the crate to start with because I think they can dominate the room. However, because her bed is in it and we put her toys in there as well, the whole place is actually much tidier.

Can't wait till Wednesday when we can actually take her out after her second jabs last week.

Thanks all. (how did we manage our other two dogs without this site!!!)

Sue

told you it will work,glad you are not so stress out,

take care from mum brie and borther chase

Hi Sue,

After 4.5 years of being owned by a Flatcoat I have come to realise these things:

a) I no longer know the meaning of the word "tidy". There's always a dog, or his toys, under your feet; :D

b) I cannot remember what colour "magnolia" paint is supposed to be, even though I know we have it on our walls. Just wait until Rustie goes snorkelling in the puddles, then you'll know what I mean;

c) I have learned that somehow Monty always uses up more space than I've allocated to him. He is particularly good at making his bed look too small for him, even though it could probably sleep two Flatcoats. :D

And I'm sure I can think of more!

Have great fun with Rustie, she won't be small for very long. It sounds like the crate was definitely the right thing to do for her. You seem more relaxed already and Rustie probably is also. :) Please keep us informed of her antics as she grows.

Take care,
Monty's Mum :)

Hello Monty's mum,

We had Baldrick for 12 years - an exceptional flat-coat (mind you now we've got Rustie, I think its the breed thats exceptional). Yes, I remember the pile of black dust that he used to wake up in after all the mud had dried!

During our dog free period, I bought cream loose covers for the 3 piece - ha!!

Sue

Yes Sue, you've hit the nail on the head, the breed is exceptional. :D A huge sense of humour is essential for all Flatcoat owners - I remind myself of this daily, even more so when at training classes. My favourite saying, as I tackle the kitchen yet again, is "a Dyson a day, keeps the dog's dust away!" :D

Perhaps you'll soon be ordering some lovely rich rust-coloured loose covers, to provide the puppy with some camouflage for when she sneaks up on the sofa!

Monty's Mum :)

Hi, just in case you do decide to get a crate, I got mine from www.thepetstore.net (which is stock nutrition)and mine was only £29.99 and this one has a double tray, which is easier for cleaning. They do mail order andmine is the black metal one, I find this one better than the other crate ive got which is gold.

Thanks Irene, we're hiring this one at the moment so will probably need to buy our own

Sue

if you thinking of buying ring me,i will give you some phone numbers,from the dogs paper,that where i get mine from,

Sue, I think you would love the crate idea. I have pom and she is about a year. At night she goes in her space and that is the crate, she has toys and a blanket. We go to bed and get up about the same times as you do, and this seems to work the best. They tend not to poop and pee in their beds, because it is a close confined space that is theres. When you go to bed, take her potty and put her in the crate, as soon as you get up. Take her potty and let her drink water. As long as she isn't in the crate for long periods at a time, and you take her out often the crate is the best option. I love it and my pom has come to love her bed. She goes in there on here own during the day when we are just hanging around the house.